In-session workshop on the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change

Information note by the secretariat

I. Mandate and background

The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), at its twenty-seventh
session, requested the secretariat to organize a workshop, with the participation of IPCC
experts, on the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) (FCCC/SBSTA/2007/16,
para. 50).

At the same session, the SBSTA invited Parties to submit their views on the AR4 (FCCC/SBSTA/2007/16,
para. 51). Nine such submissions were received and have been compiled by the secretariat in
document FCCC/SBSTA/2008/MISC.2.

II. Purpose of the workshop

The workshop was held with the aim of facilitating the exchange of information among Parties
about the contents of the AR4.

The workshop addressed the findings from the AR4 of the IPCC, as well as new findings that have
resulted from the work of the IPCC since the publication of the 4AR. In this context, the
workshop also addressed the findings included in a Technical Paper by the IPCC on Climate
Change and Water, which was recently released (April 2008).

III. Date and venue

The twenty-eight session of the SBSTA was held in Bonn, Germany, from 4–13 June 2008. The
workshop was held on June 6.

IV. Organization of work

During the workshop, experts from the IPCC provided presentations on the work of the three
Working Groups (WGs) of the IPCC. The presentations addressed the science of climate change,
mitigation and adaptation; the presentations focused on recent work and new findings of the
IPCC, and on relevant aspects of the AR4 to the Nairobi Work Programme.

Between 15:00 and 18:00, lead authors and experts from the IPCC were available, in an informal
setting, to answer questions regarding the AR4.

V. Expected outcome

A summary report of the workshop will be prepared by the secretariat, to be presented to the
SBSTA at its twenty-ninth session.